Chain link



P. PATZ ET AL May 29; 1951 CHAIN LINK Filed June 28, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 3mm Paa'Z Pa. 22

wanifira e 22 May 29, 1951 Filed June 28, 1948 P. PATZ' ETAL 2,554,589

CHAIN LINK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 vZ auZ Pai'z Eiwaridiflraeiz May 29, 1951 P. PATZ ETAL 2,554,589

CHAIN LINK Filed.June 28, i948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 29, 1951 UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE CHAIN LINK Paul Patz and Edward A. Graetz, Pound, Wis.

Application June 28, 1948, Serial No. 35,668

6 Claims.

This invention relates to stable cleaning devices.

An object of this inventionis to provide a stable cleaning device embodying an endless conveyor which is adapted to move the manure from the rear of the stalls and discharge the same outside of the stable.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved endless conveyor which includes a chain and a plurality of laterally projecting scraper blades which are fixed to the links and move over the bottom of the trough within which the material is discharged from the stall floor.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved endless chain conveyor wherein the links of the chain have secured thereto a shield or guard for protecting the links against wear on the concrete trough. l

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved conveyor chain formed of detachable links which are so connected together that they can be readily disconnected, but will not become accidentally disconnected, These links are also so constructed that they may rock endwise relative to each other, so that the conveyor may be extended over horizontal and inclined surfaces.

With the above and other objects in view, our invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specifications, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in horizontal section, of a stable cleaning means constructed according to an embodimentof this invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, i

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a detail end elevation of one of the conveyor idler wheels,

Figure 5 is a detail side elevation, partly broken away and in section, of the outer end of the conveyor structure,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 1,

Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line I! of Figure 1,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional on the line 88 of Figure 1,

Figure 9 is a, fragmentary longitudinal section of the conveyor chain,

Figure 10 is a detail side elevation of a portion of th chain,

view taken Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on the line I II I of Figure 9.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral I5 designates generally a stable formed with a plurality of stalls I6, and the stable I5 includes a floor I1 which is formed with a trough I8 extending across the rear ends of the stalls I6 and also extending lengthwise of the stable I5.

The trough I8 has movably disposed therein an endless conveyor chain generally designated as I9 and the chain I9 has fixed thereto a plurality of conveyor blades 20. The chain I9 is formed of a plurality of connected links 2| as shown in Figures 9 and 10, and each link 2| has secured thereto a shield 22450 that the link will be protected against wear when the chain is moving along the trough I8 and may rub against one side of the trough.

Each conveyor blade 20 includes an elongated blade member 23 having a right angular inner end portion 24 which is welded or otherwise fixedl secured as indicated at 25, to a link 2 I. The

blade structure 20 is adapted to scrape along the bottom 26 of the trough I8 so as to mov the material which is discharged into the trough from the stalls I6.

The chain I9 engages about idler pulleys or wheels 21 which are rotatably supported at the corners of the trough I 8. The chain I9 is extended from the trough I8 and in the present instance an-upwardly inclined ramp 28 extends from the trough I8 and extends through th wall 29 of the stable I5, terminating at a point outside of the stable so that the material which is moved from the trough I8 may be carried outwardly and upwardly for discharge into a receiver or collector 30.

The chain I9 is moved or operated by means of a motor 3I disposed at the outer and upper end of the ramp 2B. A sprocket wheel 32 is rotatably carried by a bearing means 33 and the wheel 32 is connected to a speed reduction gearing 34 of conventional construction which is connected with a pulley 35 operated from the motor 3| by a belt 36. At the lower or inner end of the ramp 28 where the conveyor returns to the trough I8 there is positioned a chain guiding shoe 31 which is dependinglycarried by a support 38.

An idler wheel 39 is rotatabl carried by a bearing 40 fixed to the floor of the stable between the opposite runs of the trough I8 where the latter communicates with the inner lower end of the ramp 28. The idler wheel 39 includes a plurality of radially disposed teeth 4| for engagement with the links of the chain so as to hold the chain I9.

with the blades 20 in contact with the bottom of the trough I8. 7

At the point where the chain enters the lateral portion of the trough l8 and forms a right angular turn there are provided two idler wheels 42 which are dependingly carried on a shaft 43 supported from a horizontally disposed shaft supporting bar 44 which extends across the trough I8. At other corner of the trough l8 the idler wheels 21 are rotatably carried by upstanding studs 45 which extend upwardly from the bottom portion of the trough i8.

Each chain link 2| is formed of an elongated rod which is bent between the ends there to form a teardrop loop 46, and the ends of the rod are then secured together in parallelism and bent backward toward the loop 46 as indicated at 41. A transversely extending locking bar 48 is welded to the reverted ends of the rod, and bar 48 is of a length slightly greater than the width of loop 46 at the large end of the latter so that in order to separate one link from another, one of the links must be swung endwise to substantially a right angle relative to the other link and then rocked laterally. v

Inthe use and operation of this device, the material removed from the stalls I6 is discharged into the trough [8 which extends across the rear of the stalls. The material discharged into the trough is removed by operating the motor 3! which will move the conveyor structure, the material being moved along the bottom of the trough and then upwardly along the right side of the ramp 28 and finally discharged in an elevated position into the receiver or collector 30. In the present instance the conveyor moves downwardly along the left side of the ramp 28, but it will be understood that the conveyor may be operated in either direction.

With a stable cleaning means as hereinbefore described, the material may be discharged into a collector such as a wagon body or the like and may then be delivered to the desired point. This cleaning means will provide an improved means whereby a relatively large stable may be cleaned in a relatively short time, it only being necessary to move the material from the ends of the stalls into the trough and then effect operation of the conveyor.

It is, of course, understood that while the ramp has been herein disclosed as inclined upwardly from the floor of the stable, in certain installations the ramp may be inclined downwardly or where there is a pit or space below the stable floor an opening may be formed in the floor for a discharge of the material into a pit or receiver positioned below the opening.

We do not mean to confine ourselves to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

l. A conveyor chain comprising a'plurality of connected links, each link being formed of a rod bent upon itself to form a teardrop loop, the ends of said rod being secured together in parallelism and bent inwardly to form a hook extending over the small end of said loop, a transversely disposed locking bar fixed to the reverted ends of said rod, said bar having a length slightly greater than the width of said loop at the large end of the latter, and a shield fixed to said rod about the reverted ends thereof. 7 Y

2. A conveyor chain comprising a plurality of connected links, each link being formed of a rod 4 I bent upon itself to form a tear drop loop, the ends of said rod being secured together in parallelism and bent inwardly to form a hook extending over the small end of said loop, the ends of the hook being substantially parallel to the plane of said tear drop loop and sufficiently spaced apart to admit the end of an adjacent link, and locking means precluding disengagement of said adjacent link when the chain is in normally aligned position, said locking means including a transverse bar secured at right angles to the outer extremities of said reverted ends of said rod.

3. A conveyor chain comprising a plurality of connected links, each link being formed of a rod bent upon itself to form a tear drop loop, the ends of said rod being secured together in parallelism and bent inwardly to form a hook extending over the small end of said loop, the ends of the book being substantially parallel to the plane of said tear drop loop and sufficiently spaced apart to admit the end of an adjacent link, and locking means precluding disengagement of said adjacent link when the chain is in normally aligned position, said locking means including a transverse bar secured at right angles to the outer extremities of said reverted ends of said rod, and of a length slightly greater than the greatest internal width of said loop.

4. A conveyor chain comprising a plurality of connected links, each link being formed of a rod bent upon itself to form a tear drop loop, the ends of said rod being secured together in parallelism and bent inwardly to form a'hook extending over the small end of said loop, the ends of the hook being substantially parallel to the plane of said tear drop loop and sufiiciently spaced apart to admit the end of an adjacent link, and locking means precluding disengagement of said adjacent link when the'chain is in normally aligned position, said locking means including a transverse bar secured at right angles to the outer extremities of said reverted ends of said rod, and of a length slightly greater than the greatest internal width of said loop, but less than the greatest external width thereof.

5. A conveyor chain comprising a plurality of connected links, each link being formed of a rod bent upon itself to form a tear drop loop, the ends of said rod being secured together in parallelism and bent inwardly to form a hook extending over the small end of said loop, the ends of the hook being substantially parallel to the plane of said tear drop loop and sufficiently spaced apart to admit the end of an adjacent link, looking means precluding disengagement of said adjacent link when the chain is in normally aligned position, said locking means including a transverse bar secured at right angles to the reverted ends of said rod, and of a length slightly greater than the greatest internal width of said loop, but less than the greatest external width thereof, and a shield fixed to said rod and extending partly about the loop formed by the reverting of the ends of said rod.

6. A conveyor chain comprising a plurality of connected links, each link being formed of a rod bent to form a tear drop loop, the ends of said rod being secured together in parallelism and bent to form a hook extending over the small end of said loop, the ends of the hook being substantially parallel to the plane of said tear drop loop and sufiiciently spaced apart from said plane to admit the end of an adjacent link, and a shield extending partly about the loop formed by the UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Jewett Jan. 31, 1888 Maxon Mar. 21, 1893 Leaycraft Mar. 29, 1898 Johnson et a1 Oct. 13, 1931 Lund June 27, 1933 Klaiber et a1 Oct. 10, 1944 

